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Mike Wells and I were working into the embers of Tuesday night, tying up loose ends after the Pacers' 113-96 victory over Atlanta, when The Indianapolis Star's stellar beat writer interrupted his typing, looked over and asked a question that has been rattling around in my head ever since:

"What would you say is Rasho Nesterovic's best attribute as a player?"

I started to answer but realized nothing came to mind. Or better put, everything came to mind. Rasho's greatest strength is that he doesn't have a greatest strength. He does everything pretty well. He's one of the most fundamentally sound big men I've ever seen. On nights like Tuesday, when he racked up 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots, it's plain to anyone who watched.

But nights like these are exceptions. Normally, Rasho's a 10-and-5 guy with a few assists and a blocked shot or two mixed in, not the kind of numbers that get your attention -- unless you happen to really like watching good professional basketball players at work.

Or, if you're someone who understands and appreciates the game at a level most of us can never begin to approach. Someone like, for example, Jim O'Brien.

He didn't hesitate at all when I repeated Wells' question to him.

"I would say his basketball IQ," said the coach. "I think he understands the game of basketball. He understands in particular what we're trying to accomplish offensively. He understands the strengths of his teammates. He understands the weaknesses of his teammates. He's a very, very good communicator.

"Physically, I'd say his best attribute is probably passing the basketball."

Which partially explains one other group that truly appreciates Rasho's game: his teammates.

"He's what you call a good pro," said T.J. Ford, who spent two years with Rasho in Toronto. "He carries himself the way a professional should. He doesn't have a big name. He never has. But if you ask around the NBA, they know he's a solid player."

There is someone you simply shouldn't ask, though, when the time comes to heap praise upon the 7-foot veteran from Slovenia. That would be the 7-foot veteran from Slovenia.

So, Rasho, what's your best attribute?

"I don't think about that," he said. "During the game, you just try to make every pass good, every shot good, every defense good. You are just in the flow of the game."

How did you feel about your big statistical night?

"I don't know the box score," he said. "I mean, this is just stats. It means nothing."

Many have said that. Few mean it. I'll never forget the one player (now retired) who shall remain nameless who looked a TV reporter squarely in the eye, said he never even looked at the box score because stats were for losers. As soon as the reporter turned off his camera and turned to walk away, the player reached under his chair, grabbed the box score and began complaining to the guy in the next locker about how the stat crew missed a couple of his assists.

Rasho's a guy who means it. It's a big reason he has never been on a team that failed to make the playoffs. You can look it up: five seasons in Minnesota, three (including a title) in San Antonio, two in Toronto, none fell short of the playoffs.

"Don't think I don't know that," O'Brien said.

Which brings us to the one statistic that may best explain his game: my beloved plus-minus. In the four games since Rasho has returned from the sprained ankle, the Pacers have outscored their opponents by 54 points when he's been on the floor. When he's been on the bench, the Pacers have been outscored by 41.

"Lawrence Frank from the Nets told me when we got him that he felt Rasho was one of the most underrated centers in the league," O'Brien said. "He just knows how to play basketball."

When you get right down to it, that's the most important attribute a player can hope to have.

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

"I don't know the box score," he said. "I mean, this is just stats. It means nothing."

Many have said that. Few mean it. I'll never forget the one player (now retired) who shall remain nameless who looked a TV reporter squarely in the eye, said he never even looked at the box score because stats were for losers. As soon as the reporter turned off his camera and turned to walk away, the player reached under his chair, grabbed the box score and began complaining to the guy in the next locker about how the stat crew missed a couple of his assists.

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

I've heard Bruno tell the story before - and I don't know if he ever has told us who it was. But I think it was from the early to mid 90's right before Larry Brown got there. If someone stuck a gun to my head and told me to make a wild guess, I would say Pooh Richardson - that is a total guess on my part - but I figure it is a point guard and the story came out during that time.

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

I feel better about the Pacers' win against Atlanta after seeing them beat Washington last night. Marvin Williams is quite the shooter, but Washington really doesn't have a front court to take advantage of Atlanta, but then you'd expect Atlanta not to have as many problems when Washington has to start Dee Brown at PG.

Rasho not missing the playoffs and his impact on the +/- is quite impressive. The espn video highlights of the Pacers/Hawks game featured a couple of his passes out of the high post for easy baskets. Having a post player that impacts both ends of the court and makes his teammates better is quite nice. The fact his contract is expiring is going to put Bird in a tough spot.

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

It's wonderful happenstance that our major center prospect has similarities to Rasho: great passer, high BBall IQ, good communicator, good all around but not great in terms of atheticism or one particular quality.

Rasho could end up being the perfect mentor for Roy.

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"I like our group of people," Ainge told USA Today. "I'm trying to teach them about basketball, and they're trying to teach me about analytics."

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

In the four games since Rasho has returned from the sprained ankle, the Pacers have outscored their opponents by 54 points when he's been on the floor. When he's been on the bench, the Pacers have been outscored by 41.

How can that NOT be significant?

And I won't be here to see the dayIt all dries up and blows awayI'd hang around just to seeBut they never had much use for meIn Levelland. (James McMurtry)

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

I've heard Bruno tell the story before - and I don't know if he ever has told us who it was. But I think it was from the early to mid 90's right before Larry Brown got there. If someone stuck a gun to my head and told me to make a wild guess, I would say Pooh Richardson - that is a total guess on my part - but I figure it is a point guard and the story came out during that time.

I've heard this story before too, but I don't think it was ever revealed who, but I swear it's from that era, too. First guy I thought of was Jalen, though.

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

I used to think that Rasho was an automatic goner next season.....but with the way that he appears to be fitting into JO'Bs offense/defense ( yes, I know...it's just 10 games ), unless there is some FA out there that we can afford that meets all of our needs that TPTB really covet, despite the lack of athleticsm....I can totally see resigning Rasho as an altervative.

Ash from Army of Darkness: Good...Bad...I'm the guy with the gun.

This is David West, he is the Honey Badger, West just doesn't give a *****....he's pretty bad *ss cuz he has no regard for any other Player or Team whatsoever.

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

I was like most others on the forum when this trade was made.

"What the heck, we just traded JO for a PG and an expiring contract?" Then thought, well that's okay, we need a decent PG and Ford is one of the quickest. The deal will give us the PG we need and future flexibility against the luxury tax and in acquiring additional players.

Jeez, I was about as "wrong as wrong can get".

I'm enjoying Rasho, his game and his professionalism just as much as I've always enjoyed Foster's.

I admire his attitude... he is entirely about winning.

Many figured that he was a one-year stopgap to get Hibbert prepared for starting. Let him go after this season or sign-and-trade him to get the PF that we need.

At this point, considering most of the PFs that we might be able to get, I'd say that we would take a step backwards if we used Rasho for that purpose.

Many of us liked Brad Miller; he was a center that could give us points and rebounds and size-wise could challenge opposing centers.

Considering his all-around game, I would have to say that I would take Rasho over Miller.

I'm glad he's here and I hope like hell we can get him to stay. We'll just have to come up with another way to get us a PF, or we can acquire and develop one through the draft.

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

If the pacers wanted Rasho they should not have extended Foster. Granger's extension kicks in next year and Jack will be resigned. Unless Rasho wants to sign for the vet minimum, in which case, he could probably go anywhere he wants.

I just don't see it happening.

"As a bearded man, i was very disappointed in Love. I am gathering other bearded men to discuss the status of Kevin Love's beard. I am motioning that it must be shaved."

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

"What the heck, we just traded JO for a PG and an expiring contract?" Then thought, well that's okay, we need a decent PG and Ford is one of the quickest. The deal will give us the PG we need and future flexibility against the luxury tax and in acquiring additional players.

Jeez, I was about as "wrong as wrong can get".

I'm enjoying Rasho, his game and his professionalism just as much as I've always enjoyed Foster's.

I admire his attitude... he is entirely about winning.

Many figured that he was a one-year stopgap to get Hibbert prepared for starting. Let him go after this season or sign-and-trade him to get the PF that we need.

At this point, considering most of the PFs that we might be able to get, I'd say that we would take a step backwards if we used Rasho for that purpose.

Many of us liked Brad Miller; he was a center that could give us points and rebounds and size-wise could challenge opposing centers.

Considering his all-around game, I would have to say that I would take Rasho over Miller.

I'm glad he's here and I hope like hell we can get him to stay. We'll just have to come up with another way to get us a PF, or we can acquire and develop one through the draft.

I've always liked Rasho. He's one of those guys every team needs, for a lot of the reasons listed above. He's that James Posey, Joe Smith kinda guy. An anchor who's not a star but gives you what you need.

I remember that there was quite a contingent of people who were dissing Rasho when news of the trade came down with JO. I actually C&P'ed some of the comments, but left the people who spoke them out:

"But Rasho sucks terribly. I don't even see how he is able to stay in the league."

"I really hope we trade Rasho."

"Dude, it's Rasho Nesterovic.

He doesn't matter."

"I have no interest in Rasho and only have mild interest in Ford."

Might be interesting to go back and see what your posted feelings (not you, beast, just fellow posters in general) were about Rasho at the time of the trade compared to now.

What spurned me going back to look is that I remember some people's harsh comments aboput Rasho. Might just be some of the very people posting in this thread about how much they like Rasho had some, um, comments not quite consistant with current sentiments.

Yeah, it's great he has an expiring contract, but wouldn't it be nice to have him as insurance next year?

Hey! What're you kicking me for? You want me to ask? All right, I'll ask! Ma'am, where do the high school girls hang out in this town?

Create an ignore list. I know it may seem unneighborly. But you're here to talk about the Pacers, not argue with someone who's just looking for an argument. Most of the regular users on here make use (at least occasionally) of the "Ignore" feature. Just go to "Settings" -> "Edit Ignore List" and add the names.

Re: Rasho - is a lot better than I thought - pacers.com article

Rasho is the first real center the Pacers have had since Brad Miller. Yes, he is very solid and underrated. However, I think our perspective is skewed. We have simply been starving for a legitimate starting C for a very long time. We now have a C who is both not a wimp and also capable of scoring the ball...